(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing system and image processing method for processing images on setup conditions, the system including an image processing apparatus such as a prepress scanner, and a setup apparatus or apparatuses for setting the setup conditions.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In scanning and reading an original document with an image processing apparatus such as a prepress scanner, setup conditions regarding significant parts of the original, e.g. highlight points, shadow points and tone curves, are set in advance in order to reproduce the original image in a desired state.
However, the original cannot be scanned to read information therefrom during an operation to set the setup conditions to the image processing apparatus. This results in a low operation rate of the image processing apparatus, impairing efficiency of image processing.
In order to improve the operation rate of the image processing apparatus, a setup apparatus has been developed for determining setup conditions in a separate process. The setup conditions determined with this type of apparatus are manually written on a special sheet of tables categorically listing the setup conditions, printed on computer printout paper, or stored in a magnetic storage such as a magnetic disk. The setup conditions recorded in this way are taken along with the original to the image processing apparatus. Then, the setup conditions are set to the image processing apparatus by manually operating a dial or keys of the image processing apparatus or by causing the image processing apparatus to read data from the magnetic storage, which is followed by scanning of the original.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Publication Laying-Open No. 1987-243477 discloses a scanner which reads identification data from a document holder, reads setup data corresponding to the identification data from a magnetic disk, and carries out image processing.
The setup apparatus has heretofore been used in the above mode, in which the setup conditions determined are recorded on paper or a magnetic storage such as a magnetic disk, and handled with the original as a set. However, this use mode involves the trouble of ensuring that the setup conditions and original are always kept together such as by filing them in a single vinyl case. Moreover, the conventional practice is inefficient in that, since the setup conditions are transferred to the scanner by means of a data recording medium in an "off-line" connection, time is lost in recording the conditions on the special sheet or changing the media.
Further, when two or more setup apparatuses are used in combination with an image processing apparatus and data are transferred off-line therebetween, a plurality of magnetic disks are used to store setup conditions and this requires an irksome operation to change the disks.